kent place names - d

Darenth, first mentioned in the tenth century as Daerintan, is etymologically the same word as the river Darent, suggesting an estate or settlement on the Darent. The river-name itself is Celtic and means a river where oak-trees grow.

Dartford is literally a ford on the River Darent, first recorded in the Domesday Book as Tarentefort. The ford element goes back to Old English, but the river-name itself is Celtic and indicates a river where oak-trees grow.

Deal is a settlement at a hollow or valley, from the Old English dæl. Its earliest spelling was Addelam in the Domesday Book, where it is prefixed with the Latin preposition ad at.

Denton is a common English place-name which signifies a village in a valley, from the Old English denu valley and tun village, farmstead. The Denton near Dover was first recorded in 799 as Denetun.

The last syllable of Detling represents the Old English ingas family or followers. The first part of the place-name seems to be an old personal name, probably Dyttel, so that the town was originally associated with Dyttels family. It was first recorded in the eleventh century as Detlinges.

Ditton is literally a village by a ditch, from the Old English roots dic ditch, dike and tun village, homestead. It first appeared on the records as Dictun in the tenth century.

Doddington seems to go back to an Old English personal name, Dodda, suggesting a local landowner whose estate constituted the area of the village. The name is a common one and can be found across the country.

Dover, first recorded as Dubris in the 4th century, takes its name from a stream here, now called the Dour, an ancient Celtic name which meant simply the waters.

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First recorded as Dengenesse in 1335, Dungeness is literally a headland near Denge Marsh, from the Old English næss headland. Denge Marsh itself first appeared in 774 as Dengemersc, and may represent a marsh of the valley district, from denu valley and mersc marsh.

Dunkirk was actually named after the French town of Dunkerque and first appears on record in 1790. The name was orignally given to places considered in some way lawless or remote, and there were once Dunkirks in other parts of England.

Dunton Green was originally Dunington, or Dunns estate, from the Old English tun village, estate, farmstead. The Green was a later addition.

Dymchurch is probably the judges church. The roots are Old English dema judge and cirice church, and it first appears in about 1100 as Deman circe.